in the eye of the war (there is quiet)
by ipsa dixit
Summary: They stay like that for a few moments, Ginny crying on Luna's shoulder, the moment being the quiet in the eye of the war./for aj


for aj, for the monthly oneshot exchange (ginny/luna, friendship/romance, disgust)

thanks for em for betaing!

yes that _was_ stolen from hamilton

word count: 726 by google docs

* * *

" _Ginny!"_

"Harry."

Something strange is stirring in Ginny's stomach. She doesn't know what it is, but she knows she shouldn't feel it when she sees Harry for the first time—it doesn't feel good. She's supposed to _love_ Harry. She's supposed to run over to him, kiss him, scold him for frightening her, but at this very moment, Ginny doesn't want to do _any_ of that. She doesn't even want to be with Harry right now.

Harry spots none of this, and goes over and hugs Ginny anyway. She recoils at the touch and she doesn't know _why_ she does this—Harry is her childhood crush, the celebrity she always wanted to date, and now she's getting her chance. Why isn't she taking it?

Maybe it's because Ginny _isn't_ a child anymore. Harry's her _childhood_ crush. Ginny _grew up_.

Ginny is disgusted by Harry's touch and recoils.

"What's the matter?" he asks, staring deep into her eyes.

Ginny hates his tone. His tone shows that he really, truly, _does_ care about her. She doesn't know, but she just doesn't feel the same. She'd be sad if he died, but, she realises, not in the way a girlfriend should.

She even resents him, to a point. He didn't help the resistance at Hogwarts at all. He was just off camping, while Ginny, Neville, and Luna were the ones taking the brunt.

"I'm sorry, Harry," she starts, taking a breath. "I can't do this anymore."

Harry's brow furrows and his lip quirks upwards nervously. "Do what, Gin?"

" _This,_ " she says, gesturing between them. "I don't know. It just doesn't feel right."

"Are you…?" Harry asks, leaving the question unfinished. His smirk is gone and he's squinting down at her.

"Breaking up with you," Ginny finishes, looking him straight in the eye. "I'm sorry," she tells him, taking a deep breath.

Harry's silent, so she just pats his shoulder and walks away.

...

Luna's the first person that finds her.

Ginny's sitting in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, a place that, even during the war, wasn't touched. Who'd want to go near _this_ bathroom? Ginny takes solace there because no one would even think to go there. She wants to be alone.

Luna thinks to go there.

They don't even ask each other their reasons for coming, but Luna gives Ginny a small, soft, _sad_ smile.

"I'm sorry," Luna says, in that voice of her that touches Ginny to the core, that makes everything feel _light_. "Your brother was one of the fallen, wasn't he? I remember him. He was quite loud and obnoxious sometimes, but he could also be funny."

With a little jolt, Ginny realises that she wasn't even thinking about Fred. She suddenly feels very selfish. Her entire family is hurting right now, especially George, but all she's thinking about is her breaking up with Harry. She's _better_ than that. It's not as if she's some ditz in a movie.

"Loud and obnoxious? That's Ron, not Fred." Ginny's voice cracks on 'Fred', and tears begin to form in her eyes, but she wills herself not to let them fall. She's above tears. She doesn't _cry_. She doesn't want to—the tears start to fall, even though Ginny doesn't want them to.

Luna moves closer to Ginny, looking like she's gliding, and sits down next to her, placing an arm on her shoulder.

"I know how you feel," Luna whispers, as Ginny leans into her shoulder, positively soaking it with her tears.

They stay like that for a few moments, Ginny crying on Luna's shoulder, the moment being the quiet in the eye of the war. Drying her eyes, Ginny sits up and looks Luna straight in the eyes—did they always shine like that?

"Thank you," she says, still staring deeply into Luna's eyes. She's never really _noticed_ it before. She decides that it's pretty, as far as faces go.

"For what?" Luna asks, touching Ginny's arm gingerly. Goosebumps form on Ginny's arm at the touch.

"For always being there for me, and just letting me—" Ginny breaks off, instead leaning into Luna and kissing her. The Gryffindor lion in her is awake, more awake than it has been throughout the entire war. She pulls away before Luna, butterflies in her stomach flying next to the lion. Luna looks shocked in her eyes, but her mouth is in a big smile.

" _Thank you_."


End file.
